When the Spaniards arrived in our

country, they saw the natives

wearing tattoos. They called them
pintados or painted ones. The
tattoos were worn by Visayan
native warriors
1. to show the many times
they’ve won in wars,
2. their status in society, and
3. to adorn the body.
There are other natives in the
country who also wear tattoos.
They live in Luzon, the largest
island, where

1. mountain ranges,
2. volcanoes,
3. gulfs,
4. rivers,
5. lakes, and
6. other coastal areas
Northern Cultural
Communities
The Ivatan, Mangyan,
Agta, Ifugao, Kalinga,
Bontok, and Gaddang
Let us go and discover
their tattoos as well as
the other arts and
crafts of these cultural
communities.
IVATAN
The IVATANS live in the Batanes group of
Islands, the northernmost part of the
Philippine archipelago.

Their house was made of light materials

like cogon, sticks, stone, and mud.
Nowadays, they use cement, iron, and
steel to strengthen it further.

Agriculture and fishing are their means of

livelihood.
TATAYA is round – bottomed so that it
can withstand the strong waves of the
sea. It is the Ivatan’s boat. It is made of
the polomia tree which is common in the
most part of the island.

VAKUL is the popular headpiece and rain

cape of the women. The men’s rain
cape is called kanayi. These are made
using thick strips of palm or banana leaf.
These are used to protect the wearer
from the sun and rain.
The Ivatans also love to wear gold
jewelry. Since gold was a popular
commercial exchange and ornament,
both men and women of long ago had
gold earrings.
Distance and stormy weather may have
isolated them with the rest of the country,
but their arts and crafts are distinctly
beautiful that it’s worth the travel each
time fellow Filipinos and foreigners come
to visit.
MANGYAN
 The peace – loving Mangyans are from
Mindoro.

Agriculture is their means of livelihood.

They also practice swidden farming or
kaingin, hunting, and fishing.

They believe in deities and a supreme

being which they call MAHAL NA
MAKAAKO.
The Mangyan men wear a loincloth and
a cotton shirt while the women wear a
short skirt and blouse. Both wear
necklaces and bracelets made of beads.
At the back of their shirt and blouse is an
emboidered pakudus, a symbol which
they believe helps them avoid evil spirits.

The Mangyans are well – known for

creating beautiful crafts such as baskets
and weaving clothes.
They live in a house made of wood and
bamboo. The roofs is made of nipa
leaves. Wooden posts elevate it on the
ground.
AGTA
Agta(s) have a lot in common with the
Atis like their clothing, body accessories,
and living in a temporary home called a
lean – to.
Agta(s), on the other hand, believe in a
supreme being called Gutugutumakkan and
other deities of nature. They are commercial
hunters and gatherers, trading their meats and
forest products with other people. They are
known to be happy and unselfish because
they are always singing, smiling, and sharing
their food.
IFUGAO
They live in the Ifugao Province in The
Central Cordillera mountains. Ifugaos are
hunters and used to practice
headhunting long ago.
They plant and harvest rice, practice dry
agriculture which includes swidden
farming, raise domesticated animals, and
catch fishes in streams and ponds.
The Ifugaos are brave and very
hardworking.
The Ifugaos worship BULUL, their Rice
God. They also have other gods and
deities and they express their religious
beliefs through different rituals and
offerings.
For their traditional clothing, the men
wear a G – string which hangs loose at
the front and back.

The women on the other hand wear

TAPIS, a wraparound skirt, which
sometimes has a belt to keep it in place.
The Ifugaos are also skilled in
sculpture and basketmaking.
They use wood for their
sculptures and prefer rattan and
bamboo for their baskets. They
create different kinds of baskets
which they use for some of their
rituals, as well as in storing food
and keeping their belongings.
These baskets and other sculptures
can be found inside their family
house called FALE. It has three levels
and stands on four amugawan tree
trunks with wooden discs to prevent
the rat from entering the house. It
does not have windows to protect
themselves from the cold and has
one door which can enter using a
ladder.